Hi Lindsay Me and my wife are both profoundly deaf and like you we had normal aids but my sister who is deaf also hated her aids and was one of the first to get a cochlear implant and it is fantastic so many years later I got one and I meet my wife through the implant group so my advice to you is to go to your doctor and ask to be referred to hospital to see if you are compatible for one . It will make a difference to your life as it did ours Hope this helps Ian bennett